


Boat and friends

by Tinamour



Category: Da Vinci's Demons
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Poison Mention, boat owner AU, everyone is trying to be friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-26
Updated: 2018-04-26
Packaged: 2019-04-28 04:49:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14441715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tinamour/pseuds/Tinamour
Summary: Just some random "fluff"





	Boat and friends

**Author's Note:**

  * For [meridian_rose (meridianrose)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/meridianrose/gifts).



> Written as a request from Meridianrose for my 300 followers celebration on Tumblr. And heavily inspired by her posting of that Dine with Me video^^

Zo looked hesitantly at the water and prodded at the wooden plank with the tip of his sneakers. It creaked under his weight and Zo hastily brought his foot back to the safety of the land. No way he was walking on that.

By his side, Vanessa frowned. “Come on. You promised you’d be nice.”

“That was before he told us where we were meeting.”

“It won’t be  _ that _ bad.”

“Sure it won’t…” Zo rolled his eyes. “and if it is, I can always jump off and swim to safety.”

Vanessa poked him in the ribs, careful not to drop the salad plate she was carrying. Zo had a bottle of wine tucked under his arm and was more and more tempted to dash off and drink it by himself.

They had accepted Riario’s invitation for lunch mainly out of politeness, at least in Zo’s case. Vanessa seemed more determined to make a friend of the man. Suit herself…Between Zo and Riario, it had been hate at first sight, but after a few weeks spent avoiding one another and breaking into insults every chance they got, they had settled into some sort of truce after Riario helped bail Nico out of the cops station after one very disastrous evening. Zo was still persuaded Riario was an asshole, but at least he was a reliable one. So, for the sake of keeping the group together, he had accepted the invitation.

Zo had wondered if lunch would be at a posh restaurant, a not-so-subtle way for Riario to rub his money in their faces, or at his how so luxurious duplex flat. Turns out he had been wrong on both accounts.

When they had received a text message asking them to confirm they’d actually be there, Zo had squinted at the address and a quick search on the Internet had confirmed what he feared.

Riario had everything. Of freaking course, he had a boat.

Speaking of the devil, he had finally come out of the entrails of his ship. And wow, was that a smile? Vanessa had forbidden Zo to pregame because he was the one driving, but even a heavy dose of booze wouldn’t have made him hallucinate that much.

Vanessa took one step on the wooden plank and Zo mentally prepared to dive to her rescue the moment it gave under her weight. She almost lost her balance once, but Riario caught her hand just as she assured her grasp on the railing. Zo relaxed a bit when all three of them were safe on board. He still feared that Riario would set off to drown them in high sea, so he kept an eye on their host’s comings and goings as he fetched dishes and wine from the cabin.

~~~~

Vanessa didn’t remember the last time she had eaten such delicious food. Probably at one of those high-end restaurants Leo had taken her to once when they still thought they could be romantically involved. He had forgotten his wallet – of course – and the race across the streets that had followed was still marked vividly in Vanessa’s memory. Luckily, in a sense, the restaurant was far from Florence, and Leo had given a false name when he had booked their table.

No need to run this time; she could enjoy a glass of wine, her belly full, and a large straw summer hat protecting her eyes from the shining sun.

Zo was chilling too, eyes closed and head reclined as he lounged on the seats lining the back of the boat. He had been restless for the best part of the first course, eyeing Riario as if he was going to stab them with a kitchen knife, but he had eventually relaxed. Either Riario’s agreeable conversation and perfect manners had persuaded Zo he had no reason to be so distrustful, or it was the wine. Vanessa wasn’t sure which option was the most likely.

Speaking of Riario, he had just seated in front of her, wearing sunglasses, a glass of wine in his hand. Vanessa cracked him a smile. “Thank you. For the invitation. I hadn’t eaten like that in ages!”

The corners of Riario’s lips lifted slightly. “Family recipe. Not from my father,” he added quickly when he noticed Vanessa clutching her glass tighter.

“I guess he didn’t teach you how to cook,” she said, as much as a joke as in a hope to keep the conversation going.

“No. I’m very much self-taught. Interesting, what you can find on the Internet.” He took a sip of wine, looking over at Zo, who had just joined them.

“I could use one too,” Zo said, pointing at Riario’s glass. “You mind?”

Riario didn’t get a chance to nod before Zo poured himself a glass and slouched down next to Vanessa. He took an appreciative sip.

“Okay, I have to admit, this is good. As was the meal, actually. And I guess I should thank you for not poisoning us. Poison would have taken effect by now, right?”

Outraged, Vanessa nudged him in the ribs, which had close to no effect. Riario nodded slowly and Vanessa wasn’t sure what to think of that.

“If I intended to poison you, I wouldn’t have wasted food.”

“What about wine?”

“No. Or I would have chosen a worst one.”

Zo snorted. “Good to know.”

Vanessa looked at them, then at the quiet water. She smiled to herself: she had been right, lunch had been far from bad.

 


End file.
